Running Scared showed me two things: 1) style and substance can co-exist; 2) Wayne Kramer is a hell of a filmmaker even if the script didn’t completely grab me; and 3) Paul Walker shows he does have acting skills.
Ghostbusters is a fantastic sci-fi/supernatural comedy which has stood the test of time quite well and is just as entertaining when I first saw it back in the 1980s. As far as this “Mastered in 4K” re-release, I will say the video is most certainly a big improvement over the original Blu-ray release.
Spider-Man is an OK superhero movie, satisfying enough debut for the web-slinger but that’s not to say it didn’t have more than one flaw. As far as this new re-release goes, the “Mastered in 4K” transfer is wonderful providing rich video and audio transfers but unfortunately, as with the others, none of the features have been ported over.
This “Mastered in 4K” Blu-ray release does offer excellent audio and video transfers but it’s not that much better versus the original Blu-ray release. Add to that this version fails to port over any features so you’re really losing out and if you do already own it, the nearly $30 is REALLY not worth it…
This 4K mastered release of Angels & Demons is certainly an upgrade over its Blu-ray counterpart, HOWEVER, it’s not a huge one nor something worth the $15 price point for a release that didn’t bother porting over the features (even if they were placed on a second disc). Still, if you have the proper equipment you’ll see a good difference.
Charlie Zone has its problems from a low budget which lends to cheaper production values and a so-so supporting cast and a predictable script, but the two leads are both excellent and the story itself is presentable and worth sticking with for the 100-minute duration. Despite the film’s problems, it’s still worthy of a rental.
Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunter had an interesting and different premise but from the beginning it never quite found its footing. For one thing, I didn’t buy Renner and Arterton in their roles although the script didn’t help matters so their performances are somewhat forgivable. All told, sadly this is a downright forgettable movie with nothing to offer except for Famke Janssen’s hammy, yet fun, performance.
While the “Tin Man” miniseries isn’t bad, this budget release however isn’t very good. Although it is nice all of the features were ported over, placing a 4+ hour show on one disc really dilutes the video and audio presentation to average levels compared with the original RHI release which was far better and still available for purchase on Amazon.com for (at the time of this writing) only a couple bucks more.
The 8-part documentary is fascinating and should be viewed by anyone interested in the historical elements of John F. Kennedy from childhood, his run in politics to become President and ultimately, his assassination. It’s a well produced series. This Blu-ray/DVD set also includes some great archival footage so it’s well worth checking out.